Pubdate: Thu, 4 Mar 1999
Source: Canberra Times (Australia)
Contact:  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/
Author: Paul McElligott

BIGGEST DRUG 'PROBLEM' IS THE ILLEGALITY OF THEIR USE

ONCE again our Prime Minister shows his lack of intellectual depth and
failure to understand the myriad complex issues surrounding Australia's drug
"problem" by his suggestion that Australia adopt a zero-tolerance approach
to drug use. Drug prohibition has been an abject failure, as prohibition
usually is. Over the span of human civilisation, there have been laws
enacted against things such as prostitution, abortion, homosexuality,
gambling, etc, and they are still with us. The abject failure of the
(alcohol) Prohibition era in America is a prime case at point: all it
achieved was another source of income for organised (and disorganised) crime
to supplement their other vice income.

Once alcohol was again legal, crime switched to the newly illegal
substances, drugs, for income.

America now has the highest level of incarceration of any democracy in the
world; the fastest-growing area of construction is that of new prisons; it
has the highest level of HIV and hepatitis-C infected injecting drug users
in the world; teen and pre-teen hoodlums spraying rivals and innocent
bystanders with automatic weapons fire is an everyday occurrence in cities
and towns, large and small, across the nation.

Is this the vision John Howard has for Australia? Drug addiction should be
viewed a medical problem.

The biggest drug "problem" lies in the illegality of their use.

PAUL McELLIGOTT Aranda

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